The rumoured PGA Tour rule change likely to frustrate Scottie Scheffler

Change is coming to the PGA Tour, and not everyone is going to like it. 

Next month, PGA Tour chief executive Brian Rolapp is expected to provide his biggest update yet as to what the North American circuit will look from 2028. 

The former NFL executive, 53, offered a hint in March about the direction the established Tour could take. 

Ahead of the 2026 Players Championship, Rolapp revealed that a two-tier system was among the considerations of the Tiger Woods-chaired Future Competitions Committee (FCC). 

Rolapp said it was his hope the Tour could move away from the limited field signature events, highlighting the success of the English Premier League. 

Sports Business Journal reported last week that track one will feature approximately 20-22 events with purses of at least $20m and 120-man fields. 

The second tier will have purses between $8-10m, SBJ reported, and there will be promotion and relegation between the two. 

It's understood the second tier will also have bigger fields. 

Golfweek's Eamon Lynch is further reporting that another big proposal is being discussed by the FCC.

And it may not be popular. 

According to Lynch's report, players eligible for tier one tournaments will be "strongly discouraged" or potentially prevented from entering tier two events. 

The rule, if implemented, may frustrate and cause anger in the ranks. 

For example, this week's CJ Cup Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch will undoubtedly be viewed by many as a tier two event as it is being played the week after a major and doesn't have the strongest field. 

But world number one Scottie Scheffler always tees it up there because of his emotional ties to the tournament. 

Scheffler made his first start on the PGA Tour as a 17-year-old at there with his sister carrying his clubs and has won the tournament once with a record-low score. 

The same can be said for Jordan Spieth, who is a regular at the Byron Nelson. 

Just how the some PGA Tour members react to this news remains to be seen. 

One man who likely won't be too fussed about the proposal is Rory McIlroy. 

The Masters champion has made no secret of his desire to reduce his playing schedule as he approaches the age of 40. 

McIlroy, who turned 37 last month, appears more than happy to not participate in the "track two" events, focussing his efforts peaking around the four men's majors. 

"That's what Tiger used to do, he picked and chose what events he wanted to play where he felt like he had the best cadence to his schedule, and where he had the best chance to win," McIlroy previously said. 

"But the thing is to me what we've realised over the past four or five years is the value in professional golf lies more with the platform rather than any individual player, because we are all replaceable.

"We all come and go, we all pass through the system, but the thing that remains is the platform of the PGA Tour, and that's the valuable thing, so my argument is it would be great to get everyone playing every single week, but I just don't think that's possible"

What has Brian Rolapp said?

Rolapp outlined the vision for golf's future in March ahead of the unofficial fifth men's major. 

Although he was light on the details, Rolapp said promotion and relegation between two different tiers was thought was the most popular idea.  

He revealed that the blueprint was designed by the Tiger Woods-chaired FCC. 

"You see this work powerfully elsewhere, including in English football, where clubs move between the Premier [League] and the Championship based on their performance," said Rolapp.

"Applying elements of that approach to the PGA Tour creates real consequence, lifting the competitive standard across the entire platform.

"For our members, the message is pretty simple: play well and you earn the opportunity to compete in our biggest events and for more money."

Rolapp said the number of top-level signature events could double. 

There are currently eight $20m tournaments. 

Rolapp added the tier one tournaments will expand their field size to 120 with a 36-hole cut. 

The PGA Tour has experimented with smaller fields, no-cut events after LIV Golf launched in 2022. 

The tournaments are a win for sponsors but have at times drawn criticism from some fans and commentators, who believe they lack excitement. 

Rolapp also suggested the PGA Tour's end-of-season play-off events could switch format again to some kind of matchplay.